MGM Home Entertainment Warning Screens
'USA/CANADA WARNINGS' 1st Warning (1979-1982, 1984) File:MGM-CBS_Warning.jpg MGM Home Entertainment FBI Warning 1b.png Warning: We see the Warning screen scrolling up. The word "WARNING" appears in a cream color; the Warning text is in white. Everything's in capitals. FX/SFX: The scroll up of the Warning. Availability: On all MGM/CBS releases of the era. This warning also appears on the 1984 CBS/Fox release of S.O.B., but at the end, following the movie (The film was originally released in 1982 under the MGM/CBS label). It makes a surprise appearance on I Love Lucy: Collector's Edition videocassettes from the CBS Video Library. 2nd Warning (1982-1990, 1991, 1992) MGM-UA_Warning_1.jpg MGM Home Entertainment FBI Warning 2c.png MGM Home Entertainment FBI Warning 2b.png MGM Home Entertainment FBI Warning 2d.png MGM Home Entertainment FBI Warning 2e.png MGM-UA-CED-Prototype-Warning-01.png MGM-UA-CED-Prototype-Warning-02.png MGM-UA-CED-Prototype-Warning-03.png MGM-CBS-Prototype-Warning-01.png MGM-CBS-Prototype-Warning-02.png Warning: We see the Warning screen scrolling up. The word "WARNING" is in red with white outline between two white lines; the warning text is in white and now appears in lowercase. The black bars are at the top and bottom of the screen, but faded. Variants: *On releases of black and white MGM movies, the warning is in black and white. *On laserdiscs and CED Videodiscs, "cassette" is replaced by "videodisc". *A prototype version exists where the text is in the same style as the previous warning. *On Turner Home Entertainment releases, the warning text is in a different way. *On PBS Home Entertainment releases, the warning text is in a different way with red background. FX/SFX: Same as the previous Warning screen. Availability: On all MGM/CBS and MGM/UA releases from the era. Also seen on Wood Knapp Video releases of United Artists and MGM films, as well as a couple of Nova Home Video and Junior Home Video releases at the time. The prototype version appears on the 1982 CED of The Time Machine. For an odd reason, this appeared on the original VHS release of Thelma and Louise. Possibly an editing mistake on MGM's part. Finally, this warning can also be seen on the 1992 reprint VHS of Fiddler on the Roof, originally issued in 1988. 3rd Warning (1990-2005) MGM/UA Home Video Warning (1990).jpeg MGM-UA Warning 2.jpg Vlcsnap-2015-02-01-12h42m10s64.png NxvXpEnIyPv8DFZDIPYZpQ26291.jpg MGM Home Entertainment Warning Screen (Screener Tape Variant).png MGM/UA Home Video Warning (1997) Spanish.png MGM/UA Home Video Warning (1997) French.png Warning: It's nearly the same as the 1988 FHE/USA/Vidmark/IVE/Live/Avid/Trimark/Artisan/Lionsgate Warning Screen, except the bottom text is rephrased and not in italics nor bold and in uppercase letters. Variants: * Most MGM DVD releases from 2001-05 (with the exception of the 2004 DVD release of RoboCop 2) have an updated version of this warning. A brighter shade of red is used, and the text is in the Johnston font (except for "WARNING", which is set in Arial). This was also seen at the beginning of the 2006 Magnolia Home Entertainment DVD of Voices of Iraq. * On New Video and Screen Media Films releases, the warning text had no drop shadows. * On post-2004 Viz Media releases, the word "WARNING" has no drop shadow, and the warning text is different. * On 1998-2005 DreamWorks Home Entertainment releases, the word "WARNING" is underlined, and the bottom text is gone. * On screeners, the bottom text is altered to read that the film is licensed for promotional purposes instead of private home exhibition. This version makes a strange appearance on the 2000 demo VHS of Looney Tunes Presents: Taz's Jungle Jams. FX/SFX: None. Availability: On all MGM releases from the era (with the exception of the 2002 ShopNBC.com exclusive VHS of It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, which had no warning at all; however, the 2003 wide release version had this warning). Also seen on New Line Home Video releases from 1992 to 1997, as well as HBO DVD releases and some WarnerVision/KidVision releases. The final MGM releases to use this warning are those distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, such as Beauty Shop. Surprisingly, the DVD variant was retained on Shout! Factory's 2015 DVD reissue of UHF, which was a modified version of the original 2002 release. Final Note: When Sony acquired MGM's home entertainment rights in 2005, it went on to use Sony's own warnings. MGM then switched to Fox's warnings when they were acquired by Fox next year. 'INTERNATIONAL WARNINGS' 'United Kingdom' 1st Warning (1980-1986) MGM-CBS-Early-Variant-Big-Red-One-1.png MGM-CBS-Early-Variant-Big-Red-One-2.png MGM-CBS-Early-Variant-Big-Red-One-3.png MGM-CBS-Early-Variant-Big-Red-One-4.png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1982) (S1).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1982) (S2).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1982) (S3).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1982) (S4).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1982) (S5).png Warning: On a black background is white text fading in: This video cassette is a genuine first generation copy produced on behalf of and with the approval of MGM/UA HOME VIDEO Then it fades out and goes to a warning scroll. On the same black background, we start with the word "WARNING" appearing in yellow, followed up by white generic text using the same font. Finally, at the end, a yellow message appears on the bottom, saying: This prohibition may be enforced by legal action. Variants: * There is an early version of the warning where the "Genuine first generation copy" notice is omitted, no underline on "WARNING", "Any other unauthorised" is aligned slightly to the right and the yellow message is in white. The warning text scrolls up slightly slower as well. This can be seen on the MGM/CBS pre-cert releases of Clash of the Titans (1981), The Big Red One and Fame. * The 1982 UK pre-cert tape of Poltergeist also lacks the first generation copy notice, however the rest of the warning is the same as normal. FX/SFX: The scroll up of the Warning on the second screen. Cheesy Factor: Like the HBO Video warning screens, it says "editing". Music/Sounds: None. Availability: Very rare. The easiest-to-find release with this is a mid-1980s UK issue of The Wizard of Oz. Also seen on Poltergeist, Silk Stockings, Reckless, The Ice Pirates, and Why Would I Lie?. For VHS's with this warning, look for covers where most of it is pale grey, with yellow and red lines in the middle of the entire cover, and the MGM or MGM/UA Home Video print logo on either the top right or top centre of the cover. 2nd Warning (1986-1988) MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1986) (S1).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1986) (S2).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1986) (S3).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1986) (S4).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1986) (S5).png Nickname: "The World's Longest Known Warning Screen" Warning: On a blue background, the following yellow text is typed in: This video cassette is a genuine first generation copy produced on behalf of and with the approval of MGM/UA HOME VIDEO It then scrolls up very slowly. The same is repeated for the next four blocks of text, however, when the last block finishes typing in, the warning fades out. Variant: On retail tapes, the whole text simply just scrolls up, without the typing. FX/SFX: The typing in and scrolling up of each block of text. Music/Sounds: None. Availability: Rare. The normal variant is seen on the UK rental releases of Cry for the Strangers and Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission. The variant can be found on The Tom and Jerry Cartoon Show: Volume 2, as well as a late mid-80's reissue of The Wizard of Oz. 3rd Warning (1988-2001) MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1987) (S1).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1987) (S2).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1987) (S3).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1987) (S4).png MGM Home Entertainment UK Warning (1987) (S5).png MGM-UA-Enhanced-Warning-Species-1.png MGM-UA-Enhanced-Warning-Species-2.png MGM-UA-Enhanced-Warning-Species-3.png MGM-UA-Enhanced-Warning-Species-4.png MGM-UA-Enhanced-Warning-Species-5.png Warning: There is yellow text on a blue background. On the first screen, it reads: This video cassette is a genuine first generation copy produced on behalf of and with the approval of MGM/UA HOME VIDEO Then it transitions via flip effect to the next screen with the same blue background. We see "WARNING" at the top with warning text (which has a quote at the beginning) underneath it, also in yellow. Then it flips to another screen with the second portion of the text, and to another with the third and last portion of it. Finally, it flips to the fifth screen, which reads: Any such unauthorised action could give rise to criminal proceeding." Variant: On later tapes beginning in 1995, the warning was in an Arial font and it looks enhanced. FX/SFX: The flipping of each screen. Music/Sounds: None. Availability: Seen on British MGM/UA tapes of the era. Examples include Spaceballs, Thelma and Louise, The Nest, GoldenEye, Joey, All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, Fatal Instinct, Judgement in Berlin, Son of the Pink Panther, and Tomorrow Never Dies among others. The "enhanced" variant is seen on Bio-Dome, Species, Species II, Get Shorty, Fled, a 2000 UK VHS of Of Mice and Men (1992), and a 2001 UK VHS of The Great Escape, among other later tapes. For some reason, it also appears on a 2004 UK VHS of Carrie, which was likely reprinted from an earlier release, as during this time they were using 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment's UK warning screen (see below). 4th Warning (2000-2005) See 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Warning Screen for details. 'Australia' 1st Warning (1980-1990) See PBV/CEL Warning Screen for details. 2nd Warning (1990-2000) Warner Home Video AU Warning 3a.png Warner Home Video AU Warning 3b.png Warner Home Video AU Warning 3c.png Warner Home Video AU Warning 3d.png See Warner Home Video Warning Screen for details. 3rd Warning (2000-2005) 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment AU Warning 5a.png 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment AU Warning 5b.png 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment AU Warning 5c.png See 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Warning Screen for details. Category:Warning Screens Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer IDs